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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. kid — child
  5. drill — a practice
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. kid — to tease
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. wake — a trail
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. drill — army training
  13. roll — a cake
  14. drill — the tool
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — ground
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. land — a country
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. roll — a list
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. toast — bread

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com